during calls at recent statutory meeting for there to be consequences for misleading the Council
GEORGETOWN Mayor, Alfred Mentore, on Tuesday, clarified that the councillors were displeased with the guidance provided by the Solid Waste Director, Walter Narine, during recent times, and it was not former Mayor, Ubraj Narine, who was the subject of discussions during the City Council’s statutory meeting, on Monday.
“I want to clarify that it was Walter Narine and not Ubraj Narine that misled the council,” Mentore said in a clarification to an article published by the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday, headlined: “Chase-Green calls for former Mayor Narine to face consequences for ‘incompetence.”
During City Hall’s statutory meeting on Monday, it was disclosed that the council has fallen prey to poor misguidance by the Solid Waste Director.
People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillor, Patricia Chase-Green, had urged fellow councillors to stop aiding in “building castles in the sky,” and put their foot down on those who have failed to carry out their prescribed duties.
She said the issue that was discussed is a product of [Walter] Narine’s misguidance, and his decisions have landed the council in a pit filled with challenges.
“Mr. Narine must be sanctioned for his incompetence and misleading this council,” Green said to resounding cheers of acknowledgement from both the PPP and APNU Councillors.
The issue in question involves the previous council’s agreement the organisation’s 2022 subvention should be used to purchase two garbage compactors, valued at $20 million, and a hauler truck.
Following a tender, which was won by F&H Computer and General Merchandise, Town Clerk, Candace Nelson, said that half of the cost for the two garbage compactors was paid and it was agreed that the remainder will be completed upon delivery.
It was said that the solid-waste compactors were delivered late and the specifications were different than what was originally agreed upon. Among several issues, the compactors possessed a higher voltage than what was stated in the contract.
Deeming the two defective compactors as “white elephants,” Green said that the company should face the necessary consequences for their actions even though they agreed to rectify the issue concerning voltage, at their own expense.
“My decision is no. Send it [compactors] back. Send back we money,” she boldly said.
While stressing that the money being spent is finance received from central government, Mentore said that this issue is pushing the narrative that City Hall is always finding itself in complicated legal situations, and the council should not continue to take the blame for persons who intentionally aim to push their own agenda.
APOLOGY AND RETRACTION
The Guyana Chronicle hereby apologises to former Mayor Ubraj Narine and the City Council for any inconvenience caused because of the article on August 29, 2023, under the headline: Chase-Green calls for former Mayor Narine to face consequences for ‘incompetence.”
We retract the publication in its entirety, and, once again, unreservedly apologise. The Guyana Chronicle’s retraction is intended to facilitate rectification, with reference to our initial publication.
